As I’m sure is the case for a lot of people, I’m finding this election cycle to be incredibly stressful for one tiny-handed orange reason. It really doesn’t help that I’ve developed this terrible political news habit that’s got me refreshing news feeds multiple times per day. So I really shouldn’t be surprised that the election is now taking up enough space in my brain to make it difficult to focus on anything else without it creeping in around the corners. And it’s only August. This is going to be a really fun few months, and so here’s how I’m attempting distract myself until November (hopefully hopefully ONLY until November), with varying degrees of success. I offer up these as suggestions to anyone who needs or wants them, with the idea that what works for me might work for other people! Maybe. I make no promises.
1: Read the fluffiest popcorn fiction that you can find. I’ve discovered a sudden compulsion to read only books that promise to deliver dramatic romance, dramatic explosions/ And hey, if nothing else at least I’m getting a lot of practice at cheerfully clubbing with a hammer the little voice in my head going “shouldn’t that injury take weeks to heal…?”.
2: Play Pokemon Go (you mean you’re not already?). Look, I was never that into Pokemon as a kid, I’m not a huge gamer in general, and so I was in no way expecting to get into this game. Now I’m level 11 and need just one more Weedle to evolve my Kakuna. It’s important to have goals.
3: Watch The Great British Bake Off/Baking Show. So soothing, so many baked goods I’ve never heard of but now need to eat. What is a swiss roll and why have I never consumed one?
4: Paint. Ok this one is actually productive! I’ve done enough painting in the past couple years that I’m starting to have a storage problem so I’ve been telling myself that once I have enough to fill a room I’ll try to have a show. Will I actually do this? That is a mystery but it’s nice to have a hypothetical plan.
5: Refresh Politico nonono step away Celia, step away.
6: Some sort of physical activity that focuses you on hating your life choices at that exact moment instead of worrying about the choices of your fellow voters in the future. I like indoor rock climbing and dance classes for this.
7: Assemble furniture. Have an annoying project you’ve been putting off? Now’s the time. Is it something heavy that will go up several flights of stairs, and again make you focus on hating your life choices? Even better!
8: Repair furniture. My parents gave me an old rocking chair–and by gave I mean they left it in my house knowing that it won’t fit in my car–that needs the caning rewoven in the seat. I may have implied (or directly stated) that learning to re-do the caning was something that I was interested in doing.The theory seems straightforward enough; how hard could it possibly be? I predict this project will definitely go well and in no way end with me hating everything.
9: And when all else fails, remind yourself that if considered in terms of geologic time this will all be over soon.
